To ask if you still use an Oyster Card?

[ZippyTurtle]

Both me and my boyfriend live in London, both lived in London since we were born. I have an oyster card and always use it and never use my debit card for the tube. My boyfriend doesn't use an oyster card and just uses his debit card. My boyfriend always complains that he thinks I am "outdated" and that he thinks I should just use my debit card instead of my oyster card. Is he right? Am I outdated? Does anyone who lives in London still use an oyster card these days or is it just me?

YANBU - I live in London and use an oyster card.

YABU - I live in London and just use my debit card

I work for the Tube.

They give us an Oyster card to use on TfL services. I also have a regular Oyster card too, for NR services within London.

The reason I prefer an Oyster card is that it's simpler in the way you receive refunds when things go wrong. So, if you use a bank card and forget to touch in or out, code 80 is seen on the gate display. That means your card is hotlisted. To get it "unblocked" you have to register for an online account, add your bank card, then contact TfL via the account to get the block lifted. If TfL say, nah, can't do it, you have to go through your bank because there may be a deeper reason for the hotlist which may be insufficient funds or some dodgy behaviour. Total aggravation.

My daughter is 17 and hates using her phone for contactless anyway, but aside from that she can only get reduced value travel on her Zip card.

I can top up my Oyster (and DDs) in advance online so I don't even need to stop and check at the station.

I can see Oysters dying out though, because contactless is definitely leading now. I find that to be a shame because Oysters saleability is its simplicity. Tourists prefer Oysters too, because buying travel in bulk saves on the exchange rate.

I’m commenting on my circle of friends, and also specifically as people who live and work in London. A lot of the comments on Oyster have been from people who don’t actually live here!

I use an Oyster. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

I live in London and I use Apple Pay or my debit card. DH is the same.

Kids use zip oyster obviously as their fare rates are lower.

I really don't pay attention to what people use passing through the barriers though.

I live in Zone One, and I've used an Oyster card for about as long as they've existed (I think).

The OP wasn't asking where people lived anyway, at least not that I remember?

Debit card now (via Apple Pay) not used an Oyster for a few years now

I’m in London and commute to work … haven’t used an oyster for years. Apple Pay

Well I live and work in London and as I said, the ones causing hold ups on the buses and tube gates are always those using phones or watches to pay. Not debit cards though.

I prefer to have all my travel in one place. If it's all over the place on my bank statement, say 4 journeys per day all of small value, it can hide other transactions that would otherwise stand out.

I’m quite staggered that the OP’s boyfriend has got a bee in his bonnet about an Oyster Card! It’s just something to get you through the ticket barrier for god’s sake. Have people got so little going on in their lives that they have to latch on to the smallest thing to have a moan about? If I was the OP I’d be telling him to get over himself.

I live and work in London and use my Oyster card. It lives in an easy-to-access part of my bag. I wouldn't keep my phone or a credit or debit card in that pocket! I don't get my phone out at busy stations. Oyster works for me, and I'll probably have retired before they get rid of it (and I'll have an over 60s one by then ...).

Well quite!

Can someone please explain the advantage of linking a digital senior railcard to the plastic Oyster card. I lost my plastic cards and am replacing them now.
So confusing!

OP, if your boyfriend is continually complaining about something and won't accept your decision, is he right for you?

I always use an Oyster card or depending on the time of day, my Freedom Pass. I never get my phone out in a busy public area as it's too easy to get it stolen and I don't use my debit card because I don't want to be fumbling about with my purse in a crowded area and get in the way whilst I'm zipping it back up in my bag again. I often find that Apple Pay can be a bit unreliable, and I often don't take my with me when I go out anyway.

You get senior railcard discounts off peak automatically when you tap . You dont have to buy a physical ticket.

I live and work in London and use my Oyster card - because of the discount on fares you get when you link it to a railcard. If you just use a debit card or other means of paying, you don’t get the discount.